Every registrar draws the DNS screen differently. GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, Google Domains successors and a dozen others all put the same four boxes in different places and label them differently. Once you know what each box means, the layout stops mattering.
This guide is about the boxes. If you use Cloudflare, we also have a step-by-step Cloudflare guide with the exact clicks.
First: find the right DNS screen
Your domain has two possible places where DNS is managed:
- At the registrar where you bought it, if you haven't changed anything.
- At another provider, if you pointed the domain's nameservers elsewhere (Cloudflare is the usual case).
Records only count where the nameservers point. If you add records at the registrar but the nameservers point to Cloudflare, nothing happens. Look up your nameservers with a WHOIS or DNS lookup tool, then edit DNS at the provider they name.
The four fields you'll see
Almost every DNS form asks for the same things.
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Type | The kind of record: MX, TXT or CNAME |
| Name or Host | Which name the record belongs to. @ means the domain itself |
| Value or Content | What the record says |
| TTL | How long others cache it. Auto or 1 hour is fine |
| Priority | MX only. Lower number is tried first |
Some registrars append your domain to the Name automatically. If you type selector1._domainkey.yourdomain.com, you may end up with selector1._domainkey.yourdomain.com.yourdomain.com. If the screen shows the full name after you save, check it for duplicates.
MX: where mail is delivered
Add an MX record with Name @, the mail host as Value and the priority your provider gives you. A trailing dot on the hostname is optional on most screens.
If you have older MX records for a previous provider, delete them. Two sets of MX records split your mail between two places.
SPF: who may send
SPF is a TXT record on the root, with Name @. The value begins v=spf1. Your mail provider tells you the exact text. Rules that catch people:
- One SPF record per domain. If you already have one, edit it and add the new
include:; don't add a second record. - The value must be one string. Some screens wrap it visually, which is fine.
- Leave out any surrounding quotes. Most registrars add them for you.
Learn what each part means in what is an SPF record.
DKIM: the signing key
DKIM is a TXT record, usually with a Name like selector._domainkey and a long value beginning v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=. The key is long, often over 255 characters. DNS stores long values as several chunks, and most registrars split them for you. If yours rejects the value as too long, look for an option to add it as a single TXT value, or ask their support how they handle 2048-bit keys.
Paste the value exactly. A single stray space or missing character invalidates the signature. What is DKIM explains the selector part.
DMARC: your policy
DMARC is a TXT record with the Name _dmarc. A cautious first record looks like this:
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]p=none only watches; it doesn't block anything yet. Start there and tighten later. See what is DMARC for the next steps.
CNAME records and the proxy trap
Some services want CNAME records instead, for example to show a hosted tracking domain. If your DNS provider offers a proxy option (Cloudflare calls it the orange cloud), turn it off for mail-related records. Proxied records hide the real target, and mail servers can't reach through it.
Check your work
After saving, wait a few minutes, then test:
- Use a DNS lookup tool and look up the MX and TXT records for your domain.
- Run your provider's verification. In Mailions, one click checks everything against live public DNS and tells you what's missing.
- Send a test email to Gmail and open Show original to see SPF, DKIM and DMARC results.
If a record isn't showing yet, it's probably a caching delay. Give it time before changing anything. Changing a working record out of impatience is how people create new problems.
Typical mistakes
- Editing DNS at the registrar when the nameservers point elsewhere
- Leaving old MX records in place
- Creating two SPF records
- Adding the domain twice in the Name field
- Pasting a DKIM key with a line break in the middle
- Forgetting the
_dmarcunderscore
Need a hand?
When you add a domain in Mailions, the panel generates a per-domain DKIM key and a checklist of every record with its exact Name and Value, so you only copy and paste. To get access, contact us with your domain.